Cartridge-feeding mechanism for automatic guns



Aug. 12 1924.

H. A. SUTTON ET AL CARTRIDGE FEEDIPIG MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATLC GUNS Fil ed Aug. 1, 1921 3 Sheets-6h; l

Afiug. 12, 1924x 7 1,504,393- v H. A. SUTTON ET AL CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTQMATIC GUNS Filed Aug. 1. 1921 s Sheets-Shoot 2' Aug. 12 1924.

H. A. SUTTON ET AL CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS s sheeu -shan 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1921 Patented Aug. 12., 1924.

earns FFEQE.

HARRY A. SUTTON AND ALFRED V. VERVILLE, OF DAYTQN, OHIO.

CARTRIDGE-FEEDING MECHANISHI FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS.

Application filed August 1, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY A. SUTTON and ALFRED V. VERi iLLn, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridge-Feeding Mechanism for Automatic Guns, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to ordnance and in particular to an automatic gun of comparatively large caliber, wherein heavy cartridges are used.

It is the obj ect of the invention to provide effective means for feeding these heavy cartridges to the gun steadily and rapidly during automatic lire.

A further object is to afford a feeding device for heavy cartridges which will have great capacity, thereby permitting the firing of a long series oi shots without interruption.

Briefly stated, we propose to accomplish these objects by mounting a plurality of magazines for. movement in a horizontal path. Each magazine is adapted to contain a number of cartridges which will feed out of itsrbottom by force of gravity into the firing chamber of the gun when the magazinc is in discharging position above the chamber. Means operated automatically during firing of the gun will move the loaded magazines step-by-step toward discharg ing position as those magazines in advance are successively emptied. The train of magazines translates horizontally and the individual cartridges feed downward into the chamber, so there is no lifting of the heavy cartridges required. This insures reliable feeding with the consumption of minimum energy.

Further objects of the invention will ap pear the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which l ig. 1 is a side elevation of a part of an automatic gun, conventionally represented, showing the cartridge feeding mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, showing the magazine feeding mechanism in a. position of rest wherein a loaded magazine is in operative, discharging position in suitable proximity to the chamber in the breech of the gun;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the mag- Serial No. 488,940.

azine feeding mechanism shifted in the act or feeding a loaded magazine into operative position when the next preceding magazine has been emptied;

Fig. is a vertical section on line 4-4 of F 1g. 2;

M r Fig. a is a similar view on line o. of

Fig 5,

Jig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 66 of ig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a similar view on line 7-7 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 is a rearelevation of one of the magazines, partly broken away; and

Fig.v 9 is a horizontal section through the same. 7

In the accompanying drawings the gun proper is only conventionally rep-resented, since the feeding mechanism, in which novelty resides, may be applied to any desired type of gun. Other features of the gun are not a part of our invention. While it is our purpose to use the feeding mechanism in connection with automatic guns of comparatively large caliber, such as 37 m. m. cannon, or one pounders, we do not limit ourselves to this particular use, for the feeding mechanism may be adapted to guns of larger or smaller caliber, or of other types.

The invention consists essentially in two primary elements, viz: a plurality of maga zines, each adapted to contain a number of the heavy cart-ridges land to feed the latter downward by force of gravity into the chamber of the gun breech, and means operated automatically during firing of the gun which will move a train of loaded magazines stepby-step toward discharging position as those magazines in advance are successively emptied.

In order to make the invention clear, the magazine construction, which is the firstmentioned, primary feature, will be de scribed at this time. Each magazine 10 may conveniently and economically be made of thin metal or other sheet material, and may take the form most clearly shown in Figures 4r, 5, 8 and 9. Here it is shown as bein vertically elongated and thin transversely in order that a plurality of can ti'idges ll may be loaded into the same with minimum clearance. This feature lends compactness to the magazine and economizes space in the feeding mechanism of the gun as a whole. The lower end of the agains I magazine is open at 12. The cartridges are: inserted through this end when loading the magazine, and discharge therethrough when feeding into the Qlll ber of the gun.

In order 0 main -n' er. ch trid 'e with longitudinal axis para lel to the z s ot other cartridges and to the axis of the ts he base . chamber in downward direction by torcevoi' gravity, means are provided to insure mal-function. Various devices would serv this purpose, but the spring-pressed tollower', constructed on the well-known .laz tongs principle, shc- In in the present drawing may conveniently be employed. In this aspring l6 tending normally-to. extend the follower vertically'and is provided at its lower end with anti-friction rollersl? which bear against the upper-most cartridge of used in a relative sense. lihe upper end of the iollower 1s hxed in relation to the :magazine, but the mobility oi the pivoted members of the follower is not affected.-;

' In order to linlr the various magazines of a series together into a horizontal train, suitable coupling means may be provided. he interlocking hooks 19 and ears 20 shown in the present drawings will serve this purpose. It is obvious, however, that any other suitable means may be employed in practice.

In the rear wall 13 of each magazine near he bottom of the same and opposite to the pace in which the lower-most cartridge of he series will be located just before it dis' charges through the open lower end or mouth. of the magazine, an aperture 21 is provided. A pin 22 is mounted in this aperture for horizontal reciprocation This pin forms part of mechanism adapted to function when the last cartridge in each magazine has been discharged, and, with this purpose in view, is adapted normally to bear against the base of each cartridge while in its lower-most position at the mouth of the magazine. This feature will be described more fully hereinafter.

For purposes which will presently appear, each magazine is provided exterior-1y upon its front and rear walls with. rectangular lugs 2i and also with bevelled teeth 25 which rake toward the right side.

The other primary element of the invention, which is the magazine feeding mocha nism, will now be described. For the sake 'un chamberand thusito preventbuckling.

vith guide .sticliin which would result in a moving part otthe'gun and the :llignres l to 7 of the drawings; guide casing may :talre the constructional form shown therein, various instance, the extensible follower it has,

of clearness, this mechanism will be subdi train of magazines may translateinto and out of operative, discharging position in suitable proximity to. the chamber of the gun. breech and above the level of the same; second, the magazine shitting group, which engages and shifts the magazines step-by step-along-the guiding means; third, the

magazine locking group, which locates each magazine immovably in operative, discharging position; and. tourth,-the group comprising a clutch adapted when each magazineis emptied-to bring the magazine shiftgroup into operativeconnection with a clutch'operating mechanism.

The magazine guide may conveniently be in the form of a rectangular metalliccase, such as that indicated by the numeral 23 in While the might-be made withoutdeparting "from the scope of the present invention. This cass ing is preferably mounted rigidly upona alterations statienarypartof the gun mount. lVhile I,

have adopted this arrangement, whereby the casing will not reciprocate with the gun barrel during recoil, in orduerv that a movable part of the gun will serve. as prime mover for. the magazine feeding mechanism, an alternative arrangement;obviously may be employed instead. Hereinafter the expression movable part of the gun is used in the specification as a relative term. In other words, it the guide casing and the other groups of mechanism carried thereby were secured to the gun mount, then the reciprocating recoil-operated gun barrel, or some mechanism movable therewith, would be the movable partof the gun. On the other hand, it" the guide casing were secured directly to the gun barrel, the gun mount or any mechanism thereon which is relatively stationary would constitute the movable part of the gun.

The guide casing is preferably elongated transversely with respect to the gun and has both ends open in order that magazines may be inserted at one end and discharged from the other.

The front and rear vertical walls of the are formed so as to provide channels 26 and 27 respectively for the lugs 24 and teeth 25 of the magazines. The channel 27 in the rear wall may be enlarged vertically so as to receive the projecting pins 22 also. Parts of the casing are cut away in order to reduce the weight and also to permit access 0 the magazines at points intermediate of their path of travel. At convenient locations the "front and rear channels 26 and 2? have portions o1 their walls cut away as at 28 and 29 respectively in order to permit engagement of the exteriorly disposed shifting and locking mechanisms with the teeth and lugs 24L, respectively, on the magazines.

The magazine shifting group embodies duplicate front and rear mechanisms, each of which derives its motion from a rock shaft 30 journaled in suitable bearings 31 in the part of the gun towhich the guide casing is secured. Each mechanism includes a horizontally disposed bar 32 which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide casing and is mounted for reciprocation in bearings 33 and 3%. A spring 35 is adapted normally to retract the bar 32 toward the left side of the gun. A springpressed dog 36 is carried by the bar 32 and, due to the raking of the magazine teeth 25, is adapted to ride over the tooth on any one of the magazines during movement of the bar toward the right (Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7), but will positively engage the tooth and carry the magazine with it during movement in the opposite direction. The degree of movement imparted to any magazine by the 'bar 32 will be proportionate to the thrust of the bar.

Although the magazine shifting mecha-.

nism has been described as adapted to move the magazines from right to left, reversal of the direction of m vement is contemplated as an alternative arrangement which might be resorted to in practice. Also, we do not limit ourselves to the specific form of mechanism just described. In other words, some mechanical movement other than the dog and tooth device may be substituted as an equivalent.

The magazine locking group may conveniently consist of the lugs '24 on each magazine and co-related stop members 37 adjustably mounted in bearings 38 on the front and rear walls of the guide casing. The magazine locking group also embraces duplicate front and rear mechanisms, each including the stop member 37 just described and the bearing therefor, so one mechanism only need be described. The stop member is adapted in operative position to project into the path of the corresponding lug 2% as shown in Fig. 2. however, tends to retract the stop member into inoperative position clear of the path of movement of the lug. Means for resetting the stop member and maintaining the same normally in operative position may consist of the lever 40 which is pivoted at ll and has one arm supporting the stop member in opposition to the spring 39. The opposite arm of this lever has a pin and slot connection with the bar 32 of the adjacent magazine shifting mechanism. The pin of this connection is indicated by the numeral 42 and the slot by the numeral 43. The slot 43 has an- A release spring 39,

gularly disposed portions which are so arranged that the lever 40 will be held rigid during certain predetermined extents of the movement of bar 32, but will be rocked throughout an intermediate extent to release and reset the stop member alternately during reciprocation of the bar. The precise manner in which this mechanical movement functions will be made clear hereinafter in the description of the operation of the magazine feeding mechanism as a whole.

In order to secure each magazine against retrcgression after it has reached discharging position, a dog 37 may be pivoted on the guide casing adjacent to each stop member 37. This dog is of such construction and disposition that it is adapted to ride over the corresponding lug 24 of each magazine, as it approaches the stop member in its path, and to engage the rear face of the lug in such a manner as to lock the lug in contact with the stopmember. The dogs 37 are gravity actuated and automatic in operation.

It being desirable to utilize the recoil of the gun as motive power for the magazine shifting group, we propose to employ the clutch mechanism shown particularly in Figures 1 to 7, though some other type of power transmission device might be substituted. In the present instance, a fixed clutch member 44 is attached to the rock shaft 30 and is associated with a loose clutch member 45 running free on the shaft. Since it is not necessary ,to provide duplicate clutch mechanisms, a single mechanism may be provided on either end of the rock shaft, and in this instance is shown at the rear end of the latter. The fixed clutch member is connected with the bar 32 of the magazine shifting mechanism by means of a rocker arm 46 which has a longitudinal slot 47 engaged with the wrist pin 48 on the bar. This pin and slot connection allows for the divergence between the paths of movement of the arm extremity and the bar. The loose clutch member has a rocker arm 49 which is connected terminally with a movable part of the gun, such as that indicated by the numeral 50. While it is obvious that any suitable type of clutch may be employed, it has been found that a positive clutch is desirable, and the one shown in the present drawings is of the type wherein both clutch members have axial holes 51 adapted to register when the said members are in a certain predetermined angular relation to each other (see Figs. l and 5). Sliding pins 52 carried by the fixed clutch member and working in its holes 51 are adapted to be shifted into operative position in engagement with the registering holes in the loose clutch member. These pins are rigidly connected to a collar 53 which is slidably mounted on rock shaft 30 and which has an annular groove 54 in which a shipper-saddle 55 is engaged. The shipper-saddle is pivoted on the gun mount at 56 and has a shipper-arm 57 provided terminally with a cam 58 adapted to bear against pin 22 of each magazine when in discharging position. A compression spring 59 on rock shaft tends to throw the clutch into operation, but is resisted by the pin 22, through the medium of the shipper-saddle and arm, as long as there is at least one cartridge in the magazine. When the last cartridge is discharged into the gun chamber, pin 22 is free to move inwardly. Such inward movement brings spring 59 into play, vith the result that collar 53 is shifted, thereby connecting the clutch members 44 and d5 operatively together.

The operation of the entire cartridge feeding mechanism during firing will now be described. Let it be assumed that a plurality of loaded magazines have been coupled together and inserted into the receiving end of the guide casing. If the train of magazines is moved along until the lugs 2% on the leading magazine contact with the stop members 37 of the magazine locking group, that magazine will be located in discharging position above the gun chamber. The dogs 37" ride over the lugs 2%, as the magazine approaches this position, and then drop into locking position in rear of the lugs. The magazine is thereby secured immovably.

The first cartridge of the leading magazine is now free to gravitate into the gun chamber. As it is fired and the empty cartridge case ejected, the next superimposed cartridge feeds into the chamber. This repeated feeding, firing and ejection continues until the last cartridge in the magazine has been discharged therefrom. At this instant, the pin 22 of the magazine shifts inward and the clutch is automatically thrown into operation. The movable part of the gun and the rocker arm 4-9, which had all during the previous cartridge-feeding been moving idly back and forth, are now brought into operative connection with the magazine shifting and locking groups, so as to exert a working impulse upon the latter.

As the last cartridge of the leading magazinc is fired, the resulting recoil of the gun causes the movable part to move toward the right (Fig. Due to the fact that the clutch is shifted into operative position, motion will be transmitted to arm 46, thereby causing bar 32 to move toward the right. Through the functioning of the pin and cam-slot connection between bar 32 and lever 40, the latter will be tripped so as to withdraw stop 37 from the path of lug 24 of the magazine in discharging position. Return movement of bar 32 will cause the next magazine to be shifted into discharging position, owing to engagement of dog 36 with tooth 25 on the magazine. This fresh, loaded magazine vill be locked automatically in discharging position by stop 37 and dog 37. Pin 22 will become engaged with the cam 58 of the shipper-saddle and will throw the clutch, thereby preventing further step-by-step movement of the train of magazines until this next magazine has become emptied.

It is to be understood that the mechanism which has just been described may be 1nodified in some respects and certain parts may be replaced by mechanical equivalents without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

.Ve claim:

1. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, a guide leading to the gun chamber, a plurality of magazines adapted to move along the guide, each magazine being adapted to feed successively into the chamber while the magazine is in discharging position adjacent to the chamber, and clutch means for automatically moving the magazines along the guide and bringing them successively into discharging position as each magazine discharges its last cartridge.

2. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, a guide leading to the gun chamber, a plurality of magazines adapted to move along the guide, each magazine being adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges, a recoil-operated member acting as a prime mover, means for shifting the magazines successively along the guide into discharging position adjacent to the chamber, and means operable upon discharge of the last cartridge of each magazine when in dis charging position for automatically connecting the prime mover with the magazine feeding mechanism to cause movement of the next succeeding magazine into discharging position.

3. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, a guide leading to the gun chamber, a plurality of magazines adapted to move along the guide, each magazine being adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges, a recoil-operated member acting as a prime mover, means for shifting the magazines successively along the uide into discharging position adjacent to the chamber, means operable upon discharge of the last cartridge of each magazine when in discharging position for automatically connecting the prime mover with the magazine feeding mechanism to cause movement of the next succeeding magazine into discharging posi tion, and means for disconnecting the p *ime mover from the magazine feeding mecha nism when a loaded magazine reaches dis charging position.

4. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, a guide superposed above and extending transversely of the gun chamber, a plurality of magazines adapted to move along the guide and to contain cartridges, a tooth provided on each magazine, magazine feeding mechanism including a dog engageable with the magazine teeth, and means for reciprocating the dog to shift the magazines step bystep along the guide.

5. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, a guide leading to the gun chamber, a plurality of magazines adapted to move along the guide, each magazine being adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges, a trip member provided on each magazine and adapted to bear against cartridges therein when loaded and to be held thereby in operative position, a recoil-operated member acting as a prime mover, magazine feeding means adapted to move the magazines successively into discharging position adjacent to the chamber, a clutch adapted to connect the prime mover with the magazine feeding means, means tending to throw the clutch into operation, and means controllable by the trip member of each magazine when in discharging position for maintaining the clutch in inoperative position while the said trip member is in its operative position.

6. In a cartridge feeding mechanism for guns, the combination with the tiring chamber of the gun, of a magazine guide superposed above and extending transversely of the firing chamber, cartridge magazines movable lengthwise of said guide and containing cartridges facing in tiring direction and adapted to drop by gravity into the firing chamber, and means thrown into action by the dropping of the last cartridge in each magazine for advancing all of the magazines along the guide.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

HARRY A. SUTTON. ALFRED V. VERVILLE. 

